3 Real Estate Negotiation Tips From the Pros

If you’re like many people buying a golf course home in Arizona, you know that your REALTOR® will handle all the negotiations for you – and that many of the negotiation points are ultimately up to you. Check out these three real estate negotiation tips from the pros to help ensure you’re getting the best possible deal on your new home.

First things first: You shouldn’t enter into negotiations with a home-seller (or a seller’s agent) without your own real estate agent. There’s no need to; as a buyer, you don’t have to pay a buyer’s agent’s commission, but your agent will be there to negotiate for everything that’s important to you.
With that said, there are certain aspects of real estate negotiation that you control, including:

How much you’re willing to pay for the home
Whether you’ll accept substitutes for a lower price
How long you want to continue negotiating

Here’s a closer look at each.

Real Estate Negotiation Tip #1: You Decide How Much You’re Willing to Pay for the Home

It’s up to you how much you’re willing to pay for a home – and you can offer below, at or above asking price. Before you make an offer, decide how much you’re willing to pay if you have to negotiate. That way, when the seller comes back to you (through your real estate agent) with a counteroffer, you know what your cap is.
Pro Tip: Commit to sticking to your cap. You made that decision for a reason, and although negotiating (or a bidding war, for that matter) can get you caught up in the moment, sticking to a specific price will help prevent you from paying more than a home is actually worth.

Real Estate Negotiation Tip #2: You Decide Whether You’re Willing to Accept Substitutions for a Lower Price

Sometimes real estate negotiations are about more than just money. Sometimes they’re about upgrades, repairs and other issues.
If a seller doesn’t want to come down on price, you can ask for other things – like new flooring (or a new flooring credit), a fresh coat of paint, or anything else that may makes paying a higher price for the home worthwhile.
The worst a seller can do is tell you no. And if that happens, you’re in the same position you were before asking, which means it can’t hurt to ask. If there are things you’d like the seller to improve, talk to your real estate agent; your agent will figure out how to approach your reasonable requests with the seller’s agent and handle it from there.

Real Estate Negotiation Tip #3: You Decide How Long You Want to Continue Negotiating

Every negotiation eventually comes to an end, and sometimes, it’s up to you to decide when that is. You can end negotiations by accepting a seller’s counteroffer or by rejecting it. That means when the seller presents you with a counteroffer that’s reasonable to you, you simply let your agent know and they’ll handle the rest. Likewise, if the seller isn’t coming close to what you want, it may be time to cut your losses (in this case, your time investment) and move on.

Are You Buying a Golf Course Home for Sale in Scottsdale?

If you’re selling your home and buying another one, call us at 480-405-4228 or fill out the form below to talk to a REALTOR now.
While you’re here, you can also check out:

Don Matheson
REALTOR® | Founder
The Matheson Team – RE/MAX Fine Pro

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3 Real Estate Negotiation Tips From the Pros